Resilient sagless support for upholstered furniture



Oct. 18, 1938. A. c. HUNTER 2,133,747

RESILIENT SAGLESS SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Filed Sept. 21, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 HRTm/R C. HUNTER Gum/mu;

RESILIENT SAGLESS SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE A. C. HUNTER Oct. 18, 1938.

Filed Sept. 21, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ammo/whoa ARTHUR C. HUNTER Oct. 18, 1938. A, c, HUNTER 2,133,747

RESILIENT SAGLESS SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Fild Sept. 21, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet :5

gwue/wto oi flew-wk C. HUNTER,

Patented Oct. 18, 1938 1 UNITED: STATES nasmnn'rsacmss surronr won Urnons'mnan rnnm'ruan Annm- 0.1mm, Hickory, N. 0., asaignor to Hickory Chair Manufacturing Qompany, Hicka d Application September 21, 1936, Serial No. 101,811

" 1 cum. 01. 155-119) This invention relates to supporting meansfor upholstery of furniture such assettees, sofas, chairs and the like, and more especially to a plurality of webbing members spaced in parallel relation along the bottom and back portions of the furniture for supporting the upholstery. Each of the webbing members has a pair of resilient means such as springs connected thereto for normally giving resiliency to the supporting means and to also return the supporting means to normal position when pressure is not applied to the upholstery. It is quite evident by providing a supporting means of this type, that an added resiliency is given to the upholstery, which in turn, will give an added comfort to the user.

Itis therefore, an object of this'inventionto provide a supporting means for the upholstery of couches, lounges, sofas, settees, chairs and the like, comprising a pluralityof straps having one end thereof secured to the interior forward edge of the framework and benea'th the seat portion and having the other end of said strap secured to the upper end of the back portion of the framework with resilient means disposed :in-

termediate the ends of said strap members for ways return to normal position when unoccupied.

'Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the-accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a chair showing one form of the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an inverted isometric. detail view of the type of support used in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a setteein which the invention is adapted to operate;

' Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical, sectional view through a lounge chair showing another form of themvention applied thereto;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view through another type of chair showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of the type of support used in Figures 5 and 6 supporting the upholstery or pad in such structures.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l0 indicates a suitable chair which has secured to the interior front portion of its framework a strip of material il Secured to the, interior rear portion of the framework is another strip l2 similar to strip II. To the strips II and I2, the ends of flexible webbing straps ii are secured by any suitable means such as tacks l4 and II. Each of the webbings or straps l3'is folded upon itself and stitched as at I! to form a suitable loop in which a pin i1 is placed. The pin i'I forms a rigid stay which .is engaged by the hooksion oneend of a pair of tension springs It. The other ends of tension springs it are secured to a plate or bracket it. which has pointed projections 20 integral therewith which are adapted to engage the member I! to hold the plate or bracket i9 in position. In addition to these pointed projections 20 some of the tacks I! also penetrate the member l9 as well as the end of member I I. to hold the plate in proper position and to form asultable stay for the other ends of springs 18; A suitable cushion, not shown, is adapted to be placed on top of webbing members It whenthe chair is ready for use; It is evident that when pressure is applied on the cushion that springs It will be elongated and furnish-an added resiliency to'the seat of the chair.

- A looped portion "a is provided which is normally in a slack position but if for any reason excessive tension should be exerted upon springs it this portion will become taut and furnish an ultimate stop toassist springs. I 8.

Figures 3 and 4 show this form of webbing support used in combination with a'settee; A settee 2! has a strip-28 secured to'the interior of the lower front portion of its framework and this strip 18 forms a stay for the webbing members II. A similar member 21 is secured to the interior rear'portion of the framework of-the settee 25 and this "member forms a stay to which the other'end of the webbing is secured.- Strip 21 alsoserves as a stay for the plates I! to which springs l8 are secured.

create an unsightly appearance since the vupholstering thereabove would likewise fail to return to its proper position after use.

The webbing members l3 in Figure 4 are shown supporting a plurality of coiled springs such as 28, said springs in turn having a pad 29 resting thereon. This pad 29 has its ends secured to strips 30 and 3| which strips are secured to the interior of the framework of the sofa.

Cushions 32 are placed on top of pad 29. Each cushion has a plurality of springs 33 therein to give the cushion the desired resiliency. It is here seen that a resilient meansis' not only ,provided in cushion 32 but other resilient means are also provided by meansgof springs 29 as well as by the springs I9 which are secured to webbing l3 and plates l9.

Figure shows a different form of supporting means applied to a lounge chair 39. In this form the supporting'means comprises a plurality of straps 39, each of which has one end thereof secured to a strip 40. Strip 40 is secured to the front edge of the interior portion of the framework of the chair. The other ends of webbing,

' members 39 are secured to a transverse member f 39 are-again folded upon themselves and stitched 4| by means of tacks 55. Member 4| is disposed near theupper portion of the back of the chair. The webbing 39 is folded upon itself as at 42 and stitched to form a loop in which a pin 44 is adapted'to be placed. This pin forms a suitable stay around which one end of'horizontally dis-j posed springs 45 are adaptedto be secured. The other end of these springs 45 are hooked in a plate member 45 which member is identical in all respects to the plate member i9 Just described. Likewise, this plate member 45 has downwardly extending projections 41 integral therewith which engages a transversely disposed member 48 of the chair 38. In addition to the downwardly extending projections, the plate 46 is additionally secured to the-transverse member 48 by suitable means such as tacks or screws 50. These springs 45 and the horizontal portion of .strap 39 form a support for the seat of the chair 35. The straps as at 52 to form a second loop in which a, pin 53 is adapted to be placed. This pin forms a stay for one end of springs 54, the other end of said springs extending downwardly and having their other ends secured around the pin 44. The springs 54 .normally hold the-portions of the straps 39 which support the back of the chair in a taut position whereas,the springs 45 normally hold thehorizontal portion of members 39 in a taut position'to support the seat portion of the chair. A continuous pad 55 is placed over the strap or webbing members-39 and this pad is secured as at 56 to the transverse member 4|.

.By observing Figure 5 it is seen that a looped portion 39a is provided which is, normally in a slack position but if for :any reason excessive pressure shouldbe exerted upon springs 45 and 54, the portion 39 will provide an ultimate stop'to assist the springs.

Figures 6 and 7 show this same supporting means applied to a different type of chair. Chair 55, to which it is applied, has a front strip 55 secured to the interior of its framework for supporting one end of straps whereas the other end of the straps are secured to the upper portion of a back or member 30. This chair has a seat cushion 5| in which are disposed a plurality of springs 52. A back cushion 53 is formed separately from the seat cushion 3|. This cushion 53 has a plurality of springs 44 disposed therein to give resiliency thereto. By providing a support of this type with two idependently supported cushions thereon it is seen that a greater resiliency is provided at the most desirable point, namely, at'the point where the cushions 5| and 53 abut each other. The supporting means for these cushions is identical tothe supporting means shown in Figure 5 and like reference characters will be given. However, it should be noted that a different result is obtained by using the chair shown in Figure 6 where two independent cushions are used from that which is obtained by using a lounge chair shown in Figure 5 in which a continuous cushion is used.

The plates 45 in the form shown in Figures 6 and 7, are secured to the transverse portion 55 of the chair 53 in order to furnish a stay for one end of springs 45 to normally maintain the horizontally disposed portion of strap 39 in a horizontal position when pressure is not applied thereto.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, thescope of the invention being set forth in the appended claim.

I claim: v In an upholstered chair, sofa and the like, having a seat framework and a back framework, means for supporting theupholstery of the seat and backportions comprising a plurality of webbing members, each of the. webbing members having its front end secured to the front portion of the seat framework, the upper end of each webbing member being secured to the upper portion of the back framework, a pair of spaced tucks in each webbing. member each provided with a re-inforcing pin, a pair of tension springs having their forward ends secured to the lowermost of said pins in the lowermost tuck and having their rear ends secured to the rear portion of the seat framework, a pair of other tension springs having their lower ends secured to said lowermost pin and having their upper ends secured to the pin in the uppermost tuck, the portion of the webbing between. the two tucks being loosely disposed in front of said other tensionsprings to prevent contact between the upholstery and said other springs.

. ARTHUR C. HUNTER. 

